[meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech

[Robert Woolard]

Rob, Geoff and List, 

 I'm sure ALL of us who have done any public speaking about meteorites have experienced the --- " Is it safe to touch (or be near) them? Aren't they radioactive? "---  concern that the general public seems to have. That question invariably comes up almost EVERY time with a new group of people. I know this didn't happen ( I mean, how many high school science classes spent even one minutes talking about meteorites when most of us were growing up??) , but it ALMOST seems that this fear was taught to everyone, it is so pervasive.  Funny/sad. 

  Best,
  Robert Woolard  


> Rob McCafferty posted:
> 
> > I got hauled over the coals because I didn't do a risk
> assessment on the likelyhood of contamination by microbial
> life from another world.
> > Some jackass in the H&S department thought he knew
> more about science than me.

> 
> 
> Dear Rob:
> 
> I once did a high school science fair demo about meteorites
> and meteorite hunting, and the lady organizing it was all
> worried about radiation.

 Salut,

 Geoff N